Rag picker

ABSTRACT

This invention relates to a rag picker and, more particularly, to apparatus for forming shoddy fibers from discarded cloth by engaging the cloth with a rotating pin cylinder.

United States Patent Benoit [4 1 Apr. 25, 1972 [54] RAG PICKER 1,550,290 8/1925 Strudel ..28/l7 X 3,128,526 4/1964 Plastock ..28/18 [72] inventor: Henry F. Benoit, c/o Benoit Manf. Co., P. 3,279,026 10/1966 Strauss et a] "28/18 BOX 356, Charm" City, Mass 01508 3,447,211 6/1969 Rees ..28/18 [22] Filed: May 21, 1970 Primary Examiner-Henry S. Jaudon PP N03 39,447 Attorney-Norman S. Blodgett 52" us. Cl. ..28/17 [57] I ABSTRACT [51] Int. Cl. ..D04b 19/00 This invention relates to a'rag picker and, more particularly, (58] Fleld of Search ..28/17, 18; 19/98 to apparatus for forming shoddy fibers from discarded cloth by engaging the' cloth with a rotating pin cylinder. 6 It [5 Re'mnm C 5 Claims, 4 Drawing Figures UNITED STATES PATENTS 700,164 5/1902 Audette ..l9/98 T II 26 ,,,'A r V V 1 a 16 l Kt.

P'A'TENTEDAPR25 I972 3,657, 777

SHEET 1 UF 4 1720612221: ffenry F Benoif also PICKER BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION In the operation of a shoddy picker, there are many difiiculties experienced which make them less than useful under present day manufacturing conditions. For one thing, the effectiveness of the operation of the picker depends, to a great extent, on the sharpness of the pins on the pin cylinder. In the past, it has been necessary to lift the top of the housing away and remove the pin cylinder and take it to a grinding machine for renewal of the pin cutting surfaces. During the time that the machine is apart, it is unproductive and this leads to an ineffective use of. the capital cost of the machine. Also, considerable difficulty has been experienced with the jamming of the machine due to too much cloth being forced between the feedrollsWhenthis happens it has been necessary to take the machine apart to remove the jam. Furthermore, the use of a large number of secondary rolls in the machine has added to its cost and to the complexity of its operation, so that the cost of maintenance has always been an appreciable manufacturing expense. These and other difliculties experienced with the prior art devices have been obviated in a novel manner by the present invention.

It is, therefore, an outstanding object of the invention to provide a shoddy picker in which the cutting edges of the cylinder pins can be renewed without removing the cylinder from the machine.

Another object of this invention is the provision of a rag picker having means of removing a jam without taking the machine apart.

A further object of the present invention is the provision of a rag picker which is simple in design, which is rugged in construction, and which is capable of a long life of useful service with a minimum of maintenance.

With these and other objects in view, as will be apparent to those skilled in the art, the invention resides in the combination of parts set forth in the specification and covered by the claims appended hereto.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION In general, the invention consists of a rag picker having a housingin which a pin cylinder is mounted for rotation about a horizontal axis. A pair of rails extends from the housing at the level of the said axis and at right angles thereto, and a bridge is mounted on the rails for motion thereover toward and away from the pin cylinder. A carriage is mounted on the bridge for movement thereover parallel to the axis, and an abrasive element is mounted on the carriage for engagement on occasion with the cylinder to sharpen the pins.

More specifically, the housing is provided with a pair of feed rolls arranged one above the other at the side of the housing opposite the abrasive element. The ends of the rolls are mounted in bearing blocks and the bearing blocks associated with the upper feed roll are slidable in vertical guide ways and maintained in downwardly-biased condition by springs.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS I rolls.

DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENT Referring first to FIG. I, wherein are best shown the general features of the invention, the rag picker, indicated generally by the reference numeral 10, is shown as having a housing 11 in which is mounted a pin cylinder 12 which can be observed through an opening in the housing in FIG. I. The pin cylinder is mounted for rotation about a horizontal axis of a shaft I3 which is suitable mounted in bearings 14. From the front of the housing extends a horizontal feed apron 15 in the form of an endless belt. One end extends around an idler shaft I6 and the other end extends around a driven shaft I! (see FIG. 4).

Also extending from the front of the housing is a duct 18 from which emerges the finished shoddy. Each side of the machine is provided with a stop switch 19 and a reversing switch 21. Extending through the upper part of the housing is a shaft 22 whichcarries a hitting cylinder of the well-known type. At the back of the machine is mounted a grinding spparatus 23 for renewing the edges on the pins of the pin cylinder 12. At the rear or discharge end of the feed apron I5 are mounted feed rolls 24 and 25 located one above the other. At one side of the housing is mounted a motor 26 connected to drive the shaft 13, as well as the rolls 24 and 25 and the shaft 22.

Referring now to FIGS. 2 and 3, which show the details of the grinding apparatus 23, it can be seen that the housing 11 has attached to it a pair of horizontal rails 27 and 28 which extend from the housing at the level of the axis of the shaft 13 and at right angles thereto. Extending between and mounted on the rails is a bridge 29 which is capable of movement toward and away from the pin cylinder, there being guide rolls 31 provided for this purpose. A carriage 32 is mounted on the bridge for movement thereover parallel to the axis. This carriage carries an abrasive element 33 consisting of a block of alundum which can be brought into engagement on occasion with the pin cylinder 12 to renew and sharpen the pins.

The bridge is provided with an elongated loop 34 of sprocket chain which is driven by a motor 35 also mounted on the bridge, the carriage being connected to one horizontal run of the loop to bring about reciprocating motion over the bridge 29. A cylindrical shaft 36 extends from side to side of the bridge parallel to the cylinder axis and the carriage 32 is suspended from and slidable along this shaft. A portion 37 of the housing 11 adjacent the carriage 32 is removable, so that the abrasive element 33 can be moved into contact with the back side of the pin cylinder 12.

As is evident in FIG. 4, the housing is provided with the feed rolls 24 and 25 mounted one above the other at the side of the housing facing the feed apron 15. The ends of the rolls are mounted in bearing blocks 38 and 39, respectively, which are mounted in vertical guide ways 41 and 42. The lower bearing blocks 39' associated with the lower feed roll 25 are fixed in place in the guide ways, but the block '38 is movable vertically on occasion and is maintained in a downwardly-biased position by a coil spring 43. The tension in the spring can be adjusted by means of a collar 44, and a vertical pin 45 extends upwardly from the block 38 within the spring 43 and through a suitable aperture in the collar 44. A switch 46 is mounted on the guide way 41 with its actuating finger extending into the path of movement of the block 38 to be engaged by the block, if the block moves upwardly in the guide ways. The switch 46 is connected to the motor 26 in such a way that when its actuator is engaged by the block 38, it shuts ofi' the motor and the machine. The reversing switches 21 are also connected to the motor, but to reverse its action on occasion.

It is obvious that minor changes may be made in the form and construction of the invention without departing from the material spirit thereof. It is not, however, desired to confine the invention to the exact form herein shown and described, but it is desired to include all such as properly come within the scope claimed.

The invention having been thus described, what is claimed as new and desired to secure by Letters Patent is:

l. A rag picker, comprising a. a housing,

b. a pin cylinder mounted in the housing for rotation about a horizontal axis,

c. a pair of rails extending from the housing at the level of the said axis and at right angles thereto,

d. a bridge mounted on the rails for motion thereover toward and away from the pin cylinder,

e. a carriage mounted on the bridge for movement thereover parallel to the axis;

f. an abrasive element mounted on the carriage for engagement on occasion with the cylinder to sharpen the pins, and

g. means provided to drive the carriage over the bridge at a predetermined speed, a portion of the housing adjacent the carriage being removable, so that the abrasive element can be moved into contact with the pin cylinder.

2. A rag picker as recited in claim 1, wherein he bridge is provided with an elongated loop of sprocket chain which is,

driven by a motor mounted on the bridge, the carriage being connected to one run of the loop for reciprocatory motion.

3. A rag picker as recited in claim 2, wherein a cylindrical shaft extends from side to side of the bridge parallel to the 4 cylinder axis, the carriage being suspended from and slidsble along the shaft.

4. A rag picker as recited in claim 1, wherein the housing is provided with a pair of feed rolls arranged one above the other at the side of the housing opposite the abrasive element, the ends of the rollers being mounted in bearing blocks. wherein the bearing blocks associated with the upper feed roll are slidable in vertical'guide ways and maintained in downwardly biased condition by springs.

5. A rag picker as recited in claim 4, wherein: motor is mounted on the housing to drive the feed rolls, wherein a switch is mounted to be actuated by the sliding movement of one of the bearing blocks of the upper roll to shut off the motor in the event of a jam, and wherein a reversing switch is connected to the motor to reverse roll rotation at will. 

1. A rag picker, comprising a. a housing, b. a pin cylinder mounted in the housing for rotation about a horizontal axis, c. a pair of rails extending from the housing at the level of the said axis and at right angles thereto, d. a bridge mounted on the rails for motion thereover toward and away from the pin cylinder, e. a carriage mounted on the bridge for movement thereover parallel to the axis, f. an abrasive element mounted on the carriage for engagement on occasion with the cylinder to sharpen the pins, and g. means provided to drive the carriage over the bridge at a predetermined speed, a portion of the housing adjacent the carriage being removable, so that the abrasive element can be moved into contact with the pin cylinder.
 2. A rag picker as recited in claim 1, wherein he bridge is provided with an elongated loop of sprocket chain which is driven by a motor mounted on the bridge, the carriage being connected to one run of the loop for reciprocatory motion.
 3. A rag picker as recited in claim 2, wherein a cylindrical shaft extends from side to side of the bridge parallel to the cylinder axis, the carriage being suspended from and slidable along the shaft.
 4. A rag picker as recited in claim 1, wherein the housing is provided with a pair of feed rolls arranged one above the other at the side of the housing opposite the abrasive element, the ends of the rollers being mounted in bearing blocks, wherein the bearing blocks associated with the upper feed roll are slidable in vertical guide ways and maintained in downwardly biased condition by springs.
 5. A rag picker as recited in claim 4, wherein a motor is mounted on the housing to drive the feed rolls, wherein a switch is mounted to be actuated by the sliding movement of one of the bearing blocks of the upper roll to shut off the motor in the event of a jam, and wherein a reversing switch is connected to the motor to reverse roll rotation at will. 